Bobby Kraig Radio Leads To The Record Business As a youngster, Bobby Kraig dreamed of a career in sports. When a spinal condition sidelined him, his father said, “You could always be a sports announcer,” and his attention turned to radio. Having grown up on Twin Cities Top 40 radio, Kraig attended the highly-regarded Brown Institute to pursue a broadcast career, starting in Hayward, Wisconsin for $125 a week. He advanced to PD gigs at WONE/Dayton, WTHI/Terre Haute and KPLX/Dallas, where his skills was recognized with four Billboard PD of the Year honors and a CMA award. Kraig then shifted successfully to the record side, helping build countless careers in national promotion at Arista/Nashville. When Arista was absorbed by Sony BMG/ Nashville, he continued to lead the label’s promotion efforts before retiring in 2006. Kraig sees himself as having been blessed with the good fortune of being able to learn from and work with numerous talented people. His career is truly one of the Country industry’s most admirable success stories.

My first job was working at a St. Paul pirate he cited was incorrect, but I didn’t know for Russell’s “The Baptism of Jesse Taylor.” That a good job.” So I was all depressed and thought station. One day I was playing a record and a sure and wasn’t going to open my mouth until I turned out to be a real milestone for me, as I maybe he was right. guy kicked open the door, showed me a badge, heard the giggling from around the corner. That didn’t know it was going to go on to become But as a result of that meeting, a year later knocked the needle off the turntable and told me was the scariest moment I ever had in radio. such a great radio station. But the college when Arista opened, Allen Butler called and I was going to serve time in jail. As it turned out, students were pretty upset when we made the asked if I had any interest in doing national pro- he wasn’t a federal agent at all; he was the dad of Another scary moment was when I got to switch. Our studio had a big picture window motion for them. I said, “Give me 24 hours.” My the guy who owned the place! It was their idea WTHI/Terre Haute. I was on the air when we facing the street, and people could see the guy wife was fine with it, and although my contract of doing a funny joke. Now, I had just gotten my went from AOR to Country, and I got to play the on the air. I wanted to close the curtains, but wasn’t up, I went in to see Dan and told him First Class FCC license and knew the penalty first country record, which I think was Johnny we weren’t allowed to do it. Some guy came what I wanted to do. And he said, “You know, I’ve been blessed with some great people as bosses. Circumstances have always been a friend of mine. up, pointed a pistol at me and fired. It turned that doesn’t surprise me. I knew it’d kind of Kraig’s List: Follow- out to be a pellet gun, but it made a hole in end up here.” Monetarily, it was a hard decision ing his retirement, Bobby Kraig and his the glass. I’m not sure it was the first hole, because I had to leave for less money. I knew family were invited either, but it was the first for us as Country. very little about the record business other than to join the RCA Label how to pick up a phone and call somebody. But Group for its annual I kept up with Dan Halyburton during my they taught me what I needed to know, and then CRS Boat extrava- ganza. Alan Jackson early years, hoping one day he’d give me a job. I hopefully brought some things aboard that they stopped the show so He had taken WDGY/Minneapolis Country. At could learn from. We had some great artists and that he, Sony BMG CRS one year – nearly all my jobs happened I had a great staff. Those guys were superstars in Chairman Joe Gal- through CRS – he drew me aside and said, “I’ve my eyes. ante and EVP Butch got a friend who’s looking for somebody to I certainly owe a lot to Allen Butler and Waugh could present a special plaque to program KLIF/Dallas. They’re going to take it Tim DuBois for giving me a shot, and I owe Kraig. Pictured (l-r) Country.” His name was Herb Allen, and at the an equal amount to Joe Galante and Butch are Jackson, Galante time he was programming Susquehanna’s sister Waugh. When they took on the label, they didn’t and Waugh. station WFMS/Indianapolis. I met with Herb and have to take the promotion department. They two weeks later got a call from WFMS GM and trusted and believed in us and let me run the RVP Larry Grogan. He said he’d been listening staff. I have so much respect for those guys. to WTHI, really liked it and wanted me to go “ meet the GM of KLIF and KPLX. One day I was driving” with Bob Moody to the All the while he was talking about KPLX. Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel from a CRB board event So I said, “This job’s for KLIF, isn’t it?” He at Reba’s house. My foot slipped off the brake said, “No, actually we’re looking for somebody and I hit one of those planters on the side of the now for KPLX.” Well, that was the job I really building like an eight-ball in the side pocket. I wanted. So I went down there for a meeting – it thought, “Man, I just bought a hotel.” The pot- was my first commercial airplane ride. Two ting soil was up on the windshield like a plague weeks later I got a call from the GM’s secretary. of locusts. At first the hotel people thought I was She said, “I’m supposed to set you up with an drunk; thank God I wasn’t. But as I’m sitting apartment.” That’s who gave me the news, and there, the bus with all the board members on it she later became my wife. pulls in. Bob tried to get the concierge to find a About six months later, Dan came on to be my neck brace for him to wear to the board meet- boss, and I never would have had the success ings the next day. But I told everyone that Bob I’ve had were it not for him, as well as for oth- was the one driving, and I still do to this day. ers. I’ve been blessed with some great people as bosses. Circumstances have always been a friend The most emotional career moment for me of mine, and Susquehanna was a great company. was when I came to the realization I wouldn’t be able to come back to work anymore. The Tim DuBois and I had a meeting talking about lunch meeting with Butch Waugh to tell him artist management. I wanted to get involved in was rough. But Joe Galante and the staff then the Country music industry in a capacity other invited me and my family on the RCA Boat in A-Team: The Arista crew gathers around (standing l-r): Butch Waugh, than radio. I didn’t know that it was going to be 2006, and Alan Jackson stopped the show that David Friedman, Dawn Ferris, Bryan Frasher, Teddi Bonadies, Jeri Cooper, Lesly records. Tim said, “Mister, why would you want night so they could present me with a big plaque. Tyson, Skip Bishop, Joe Galante; and (seated, l-r) Suzette Tucker, Lori Hartigan, Kraig to do management? It’s like winning the lottery. That was the most special moment ever, and and Alicia Butler. For God’s sake, you’ve got a family, you’ve got my biggest high. CAC

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